News from the Library of Congress

September 1, 1995

Seminar on U.S./Arab Cultural Relations at Library of Congress on September 29

The Library of Congress's Near East Section, African and
Middle Eastern Division, will sponsor an all-day seminar on "Arab
American Cultural Relations-Past, Present, and Future" on
September 29 in the Mumford Room in the Library's James Madison
Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. The seminar is the
last in a series of events marking the 50th anniversary of the
establishment of the Near East Section in the Library's African
and Middle Eastern Division.

The seminar will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Mumford Room on
the sixth floor of the Madison Building and close with a
reception in the Montpelier Room, also on the sixth floor of the
Madison Building, and the opening of an exhibition celebrating
the anniversary, "Hearts and Minds Without Boundaries: The Near
East Experience," in the Mumford Room foyer.

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and George N.
Atiyeh, head of the Near East Section, will open the program.
Edward Said, professor of English and Comparative Literature at
Columbia University, will give the keynote address on "A Dialog
That Is Yet to Begin."

Panel discussions will be presented at 10 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
The morning panel will be chaired by Ann Lesch, president of the
Middle East Studies Association. Panelists and their topics are
Roger Allen, professor of Arabic at the University of
Pennsylvania, "Arabic Literature in America: Issues of
Translation and Reception"; Muhsin Mahdi, Jewett professor of
Arab studies at Harvard University, "Near Eastern Studies: Some
Future Directions"; and Irfan Shahid, Sultan Qaboos professor for
Arabic studies at Georgetown University, "Gibran in the Anglo-
Saxon World: The Problem of The Prophet."

During the afternoon session, chaired by Stephen E. James,
chief of the Library's Humanities and Social Sciences Division,
panelists and their topics will be Professor Halim Barakat of
Georgetown University, "Exile and Creativity: The Case of the
Arab American (Mahjari) Writers"; Evelyn Early of the United
States Information Agency, "American Education in the Arab
Countries: From Alif to Ya' into Cyberspace"; and Sadeq al-Azm,
chairman of the Department of Philosophy at Damascus University,
"Islam and Secular Humanism: The Implications for America."

The Near East Section's anniversary celebration focuses on
creating greater awareness of the rich resources at the Library
and a better understanding of the varied aspects of Middle
Eastern cultures.

For the seminar, as for all Library public programs,
interpreting services (American Sign Language, Contact Signing,
Oral and Tactile) will be provided on request if placed six
business days in advance of the lecture. Call (202) 707-6362, TTY
and voice, to make a specific request. For other ADA
accommodations, contact the Disability Employment office at (202)
707-9948 TTY and (202) 707-7544 voice.